Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Gloria Fielder is trying her best to live with sincere faith, but regret for a past decision makes it difficult to live with herself.

Justin Case knows first-hand the consequences of bad choices, but he doesn’t believe in burying past mistakes. He openly shares his testimony with the purpose of showing there is hope and freedom for those who come to Christ.

Justin is the new worship leader for the church service Gloria attends, and he also leads a new Bible study she knows will help her. To complicate matters, once Justin becomes aware of Gloria’s struggle, he seems intent on drawing her out of her self-imposed shell of guilt and regret. If she trusts him with her secret and her heart, will their friendship evolve into something more, or will it simply be her undoing?

When the thought from her internal mantra struck, Gloria Fielder froze mid-step. As if punctuating the accusation, an icy wind howled, the force of it wrenching the glass door from her grasp and slamming it against the stopper.

“A few more minutes and you would’ve missed us entirely.”

Gloria looked up into the unsmiling face of a rail-thin woman standing sentinel over a group of children. Gloria assumed she was the children’s director, as they were all dressed in the festive colors of Christmas, their bright reds and deep greens reminding her of the candlelight service in progress.

She hesitated, her gaze shifting to the plaster nativity figures less than ten feet away, the babe in particular so…lifelike. Would it be better to leave and apologize later for having missed the program?

“Could you shut the door please? It’s hard to keep everyone’s attention while a draft is blowing through, and it’s almost time for us to begin.” Seeming to barely hang on to her patience, the director’s smile was as tight as her collar.

Being late was bad enough, but being made to feel like she was an annoying interruption was well…worse. Gloria shifted to close the door.

After an inquisitive glance toward Gloria, a chubby boy with flushed cheeks pulled on the director’s sleeve. “Mrs. Parker, when do we get our candles?”

“Patience, Tommy. We need to wait for the lady to go inside the auditorium, don’t we?”

Glancing from the boy to Mrs. Parker, Gloria apologized.

“That’s all right. We’re happy to wait for you to get settled.” Mrs. Parker’s smile stretched.

Gloria glanced back toward the woman, wondering if she meant what she said. She’d grown up in a house where a smile often held duplicity. Committed to stay, she hurried toward the partition crammed with winter coats. She unfurled the red scarf from her neck, then squished it and her coat into the mix.

Hushed giggles drew her gaze back to the director, who was busy giving each child a candle with detailed instructions. Everything about them seemed to contrast her. Was it just last year she wore red, putting on a good front? She wasn’t interested in being that person anymore. The clingy dress and all it represented was exiled to the corner of her closet. Proof she was different.

The past few weeks had been particularly hard. When something like seeing the babe in the manger shook her confidence instead of giving her hope, she questioned her faith as a believer in Christ. The possibility of seeing someone at this service she’d rather avoid tightened her chest with further worry.

“Ma’am, they’re waiting for us to start.” Apparently losing her patience, Mrs. Parker nodded toward the doors going into the auditorium.

Gloria tamped down her misgivings, straightened her shoulders, and walked toward the sanctuary. As she edged around the children to reach for one of the doors, a little girl dressed in an evergreen velvet dress took a candle from a basket and offered it to her.

“Thank you.” Gloria smiled.

The girl’s pink lips curved in reply.

Suddenly, blinking back the unwelcome pressure of tears, she turned and eased through the doors. Assailed by the scent of melting wax and pine, she waited for her eyesight to adjust to the soft glow of dimmed lighting, giving her a chance to scan the room for empty seats.

Soon an usher stood next to her, his face brightening when he smiled. “Is anyone joining you?” His generous teeth gleamed in the darkness.

Just me. She shook her head.

He motioned for her to follow him, then pointed to some empty chairs. As she made a beeline for them, his parting greeting followed. “Merry Christmas.”

Gloria glanced over her shoulder and forced a smile. She wanted to be merry. Wanted to simply feel peace. Wanted a reprieve from the recording in her head. Some days, the indictment playing over and over—tightening the tendrils of regret—putting her back on the treadmill of if-only. Making forgetting impossible.

If time was linear, and the passing of it promised things would get easier, then why hadn’t the grip of shame and sorrow weakened?

She settled into a chair as the children from the lobby entered and dispersed down the center aisle, the sound of their voices rising as they moved toward the front, their song offering her a distraction from her turmoil. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to escape into the words.

Joy to the World. A feeling she had yet to muster.

After several carols and a reenactment of the birth of Christ, the pastor walked up on the stage.

Bobby Jordan had thinning gray hair, a solid middle-aged build, and the demeanor and voice of an authoritative grandfather. But that was her opinion now that she knew him. Their first meeting was at her office. His friendly and forthright manner reminded her of the old Southern gentlemen at home. He explained he was a pastor hoping to refer church members who were house hunting, said a friend had recommended her.

Her peace of mind wavered at the memory. Fortunately, the uncomfortable connection led to providential results. If she had not been going through such a rough time, and if Bobby had not sought her out, she might never have begun a relationship with Christ. If only she could find a way to reconcile how the two connected without all the bad stuff. She rubbed her forehead.

“Thank you children, you may join your parents,” Bobby said.

Gloria glanced up as Bobby laid a hand on the shoulder of a little boy after dismissing the others to finds their seats.

“This is Johnny, one of our shepherds in tonight’s program. He’s seven. I asked Johnny a question earlier, and I wanted you to hear his response.” Bobby crouched down. “Johnny, what’s Christmas all about?” He tilted a microphone toward Johnny.

“Pweth-sents.” The boy turned toward the audience and smiled, the gap in his front teeth sparking chuckles from the crowd.

“What’s so great about presents?”

“They’we fwee.”

Bobby ruffled Johnny’s hair and told him to join his parents. When the laughter trickling through the congregation died down, Bobby stood at the edge of the platform. “Each Christmas, we decorate our homes with nativity scenes and our Christmas trees with lights.”

Gloria swallowed, the nativity from the lobby edging back into her thoughts.

“We send cards, sing carols, and we exchange gifts.” Eyes down, Bobby paused. “I agree with Johnny. Big or small, presents are special, but are they truly free? Certainly, they’re free to the recipients, but to the giver there is always a cost.” Bobby raised his arms. “But to each one of us, grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Paul wrote this to the Ephesians. God’s gift of grace. Undeserved favor for us.”

Undeserved. That was certainly her. She’d never measured up to expectations, which was one of the reasons why she worked so hard at her job.

“As recipients, God’s gift of grace costs us nothing because Jesus paid for it. He gave his life, so we might receive forgiveness. Receive life. In this season of giving, in addition to the wrapped packages we place under our trees, let’s give grace to one another. Offer forgiveness when needed, even underserved.” Then Bobby prayed.

As before, the children assembled across the front. Once their candles were lit, they disbursed down each aisle, lighting the candles of people sitting on the end as they went. Music played in the background.

Eyes closed, Gloria focused on Bobby’s words. She prayed the message would wash over her. Because there was hope in knowing Christ had already forgiven her. And she could do the same.

“Excuse me.”

Startled from someone’s touch, Gloria slapped a hand to her chest.

A man barely visible, given the darkness and shadows cast by candlelight, leaned closer. “Sorry to disturb you, but I thought you might want to light your candle.” Highlighting his explanation, he lifted his candle. For one brief moment, a striking, masculine face with eyes so dark they glittered like pools in moonlight stared back at her.

She swallowed, her heart still pounding from having been disturbed. “Sorry.” She fumbled for the candle amongst her things. Finding it, she held it toward him and tilted her wick toward his flame. A cool, woodsy scent wafted toward her, reminiscent of an autumn breeze. She inhaled the refreshing smell and relaxed a bit.

When her candle was lit, the flare illuminated his face once more. He looked up and caught her staring. Embarrassed, she turned away. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

When the lights came up, she hit the aisle, determined to get through the lobby then home. The last thing she wanted to do was linger. Not that she didn’t enjoy talking with people afterward, but tonight she felt fragile.

About the Author

Though her roots are buried deep in the hills of Middle Tennessee, she now lives in Indiana with her family and serves in her local church. She loves to entertain, give life to old things, antiquing, reading and of course writing.

Like the things we experience, I believe good Christian fiction can inspire and change someone’s perspective, and hopefully point them to Christ.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Everyone makes lots of little decisions from the moment they wake up until they sink back into sleep at night. Decisions that have no consequences or expectations. But, what about the rare choices that could change everything? How do you know what is right for you?

Happiness is something you have to choose again and again, each day.

Michaela Matthews wants that more than anything. Standing in her way is a family pushing her down a specific path and the man she loves preventing her from choosing anything different. When she moves to the city for the next step in her parent’s plan, she starts to figure out what she wants - or more importantly, what she doesn’t want. She thinks she has to leave her old life behind to discover a new one. This throws every choice she has made into question. It isn’t until tragedy strikes that she learns that sometimes there is no choice at all. Sometimes you can have it all.

Jason Marks has had the kind of life where things have seemed to just happen to him, no choice involved at all. It’s a struggle for him to keep the past at bay while he tries to move forward. He is no longer the unwanted foster kid. He is a business owner, surrounded by people that love him. But, he isn’t in love. He’s not even sure he believes in it. Not anymore. At least, not until a heartbroken girl falls apart in his arms. It’s enough to make him a believer. Make him a dreamer. Enough to force him to answer that question. Do you give all of yourself to someone who might not choose you in return?

This is a solid Sweet Contemporary Romance. Nothing too detailed or in depth to make it explicit. I enjoyed the characters immensely. I felt like the Romance was well balanced because of their respective personalities.

It is a very fast paced story and that goes for pretty much every aspect.

Michelle Lynn is a pretty simple person. A good book and a comfy chair is all she needs to be content. She reads … a lot and is also a big TV and hockey buff. But it is writing that means so much to her. Most of her life has been spent ill and that has not changed. Soon after college she found herself unable to pursue a career with her business degree and on disability. Then she started to write and it changed everything for her.

In the years since, she has published a YA dystopian trilogy, Dawn of Rebellion, as well as three books in her New Beginnings romance series.

The biggest risks yield the greatest gains—especially in the game of love.

Emily Wolfe, real estate agent to the elite, is tired of being alone. So when she gets a chance to compete on a reality dating show she decides to risk it all for love in the biggest game of her life.

The city girl is surprised how much she enjoys switching her high heels for cowboy boots and pedicures for mud treatments—and not the kind you find at a day spa. And she’s falling hard for Wil Parker, the sexy, rugged farmer at the centre of the show.

Amidst the chaos, tantrums and editing tape, the heat and passion between Emily and Wil reaches boiling point. But can they survive the imminent explosion, let alone the fallout?

‘A pig sty,’ said Emily as she stood on the lower rung of the fence and looked into the muddy home to eight fat, pink pigs. ‘You can’t expect me to go in there?’

‘They need feeding.’

She shook her head as the pigs rushed towards the fence line snorting and snuffling. They were enormous and filthy, trotters and bellies streaked with mud.

‘They stink,’ she said. ‘A lot.’

Wil threw his head back and laughed. ‘You’re not going to discriminate based on scent now, are you?’

A smile crept onto her lips. ‘I guess not.’

‘So I probably shouldn’t use this moment to tell you that you can’t let these pigs near your hands. They’ve strong snouts and can bite your fingers clean off.’

Emily jumped off the fence and took two steps back. ‘No. You shouldn’t use this moment to tell me that because I’m not going in there now. Are you serious? They could bite my finger off?’

Again his head rolled back and he roared with laughter, obviously finding his tormenting highly entertaining. She wasn’t amused. He eventually looked back at her, still grinning, and said, ‘There’s a fence. They won’t be able to come near us.’

Emily sighed. ‘Thank God for that.’ She placed a hand on her chest, felt the thumping underneath. ‘My heart is thundering here.’

He pressed his lips together, but was still smiling, his dimples on full display. Despite his cheeky taunts, he had Emily panting. He stepped closer, so the other girls were out of earshot. ‘I wouldn’t purposefully put you in danger.’

‘I guess I don’t know you well enough yet to understand this mischievous side.’

He reached for her hand, held it in his. Her breath caught at the sensation pulsing through her. It wasn’t like the other times he held her hand to lead her somewhere; there was an air of intimacy to the way he entwined his fingers with hers. ‘That’s something we’ll have to rectify,’ he whispered. Whispering was the sexiest thing ever when it was coming from Wil’s lips. Her body warmed and tingled.

She peered up into his blue eyes, then down to his lips. They were long and full, perfect for kissing. A gentle current swirled between them like a magnet, pulling her to him, and he to her.

‘Yes,’ she managed to say though her voice was breathy.

His big chest expanded on a deep inhale. Emily wanted to press both her palms against him and feel the muscle she knew existed underneath that t-shirt. The delicious warmth in her limbs spread to her breasts, and down to her belly where it pulled and continued lower, unravelling and stirring her long-dormant O.

Seemingly snapping out of his daydream, Wil straightened and took a step back. He managed a tight smile though his eyelids were still heavy hooded. ‘We better get to it.’

Emily nodded and released her hand from his.

Jacquie resides in rural Victoria, Australia, with her husband and two sons. She holds a Bachelor of Business, studied post-grad Writing, Editing, and Publishing at The University of Queensland, and earned a Master of Letters from the University of Central Queensland.

Jacquie is an author of a number of novels, novellas and short stories and is published in the genres of contemporary, fantasy and magic-realism romance. She strives to offer romance, but with complexity; spirituality, without the religion. Her novels express a purpose and offer subtle messages about life, the spirit and, of course, love.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Unswerving Loyalty, Unquestioning Devotion, Unremitting Obedience. This is the vow of the Imperial Guard for his mistress, the Goddess-Empress.

Nobody said anything about Love.

Kristoff Verrai is assigned to find Charlotte Walker, the new Goddess-Empress, and bring her to be crowned. But she's a Royal and he's a commoner so loving her isn't an option.

Tell that to his heart.

Now Charlotte and Kristoff are on a mission to get her to Femme 1 where the Golden Throne awaits her. But they'll have to dodge assassin-droids, imposters, and the evil Count Doloroso to get there.

And after all that, they'll have to fight the most dangerous threat at of all...the growing love between them.

“What?” I stared at him blankly. “What are you talking about? You can’t just move in.” I thought about how I had promised my landlady not to have strange men over. And a seven-foot tall, muscular alien with rainbow eyes and skin that could change colors was about as strange as it got.

But Kristoff had a stubborn look on his chiseled features.

“My Lady, I have pledged my life to you,” he said, frowning. “My place is at your side. I will not abandon you.”

“Well then you’ll have to rent your own apartment,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “Because there’s no room for you here. I only have, uh, one bed.” I could feel my cheeks heating as I said it but I went on anyway. “And I’m not letting some strange man sleep with me. Also, you won’t fit on the couch.” I indicated my little loveseat which was barely big enough for one normal sized person to stretch out on—there was no way a seven-foot tall alien would fit.

He frowned. “I will sleep on the floor at the foot of your bed, if necessary, but I will not leave you alone. That would not be safe.”

“Assassin-droid. And do you really think that is the only attempt your enemies will make on your life? As long as you live, you’re a threat to those who want power—power which should rightfully be yours.”

“I don’t want that much power!” I exclaimed. “I just want to be left alone!”

He shook his head. “That is one thing you will never be again. The Goddess-Empress must be warded at all times for her own safety and protection.”

“Look here,” I said, glaring at him. “You can’t just decide to move into my home and never leave!”

“Which is why you must come with me to Femme One,” he said. “Only there can you be adequately guarded.”

Evangeline Anderson is the New York Times and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Brides of the Kindred, Alien Mate Index, and Born to Darkness series. She is thirty-something and lives in Florida with a husband, a son, and two cats. She had been writing erotic fiction for her own gratification for a number of years before it occurred to her to try and get paid for it. To her delight, she found that it was actually possible to get money for having a dirty mind and she has been writing paranormal and Sci-fi erotica steadily ever since.

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